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Caticlan Airport upgrade has bridge proposal to Boracay

11 July 2016 - Doris Dumlao-Abadilla, Philippine Enquirer

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. is keen on scaling up its stake in Caticlan—the gateway to Boracay Island—by building a game-changing 1.9-kilometer toll bridge that will connect the world-famous beach community to the mainland.

In an interview with the Inquirer, SMC president Ramon S. Ang said that the infrastructure project, which would be up to the local government unit to award to a private sector partner, was estimated to cost $100 million (about P4.6 billion at current exchange rates).“We proposed the idea for them to bid out. For us, it’s okay if there are other bidders,” Ang said.

At present, tourists and cargo can only move in and out of Boracay using boats from the jetty port of Caticlan. In recent years that tourism has boomed on the island, garbage disposal has been difficult as well.

Ang said the connectivity project would be for the convenience of tourists. “They can all live in Caticlan and enjoy the view in Boracay, which is now so congested and has a lot of sewerage problems,” he pointed out.

Ang said the upgrade of the airport has been finished and what remained to be constructed was a new terminal. A temporary terminal is being set up and would be done in six months to accommodate the volume of tourists going to Caticlan.